Iron deficiency in Helicobacter pylori infected patients in Baghdad

Objectives: Recent studies have suggested an association of Helicobacter pylori and iron deficiency (ID).Materials and methods: To examine an association between H.pylori infection and ID, blood sampling and a data collectionsurvey were performed in 78 H.pylori infected patients and 22 healthy subjects as control. Serum ferritin and ironwere measured by ELISA and direct enzymatic method techniques respectively.Results: The result showed that 24 of the patients (30.7%) have serum ferritin and iron concentrations below the normalrange indicating iron deficiency, with no significantly difference between women and men. ID was more pronounced inpatients with stomach ulcer (58.3%) than those without stomach ulcer (41.7%) respectively.Conclusions: The conclusion was that H.pylori infection might have a role in iron deficiency and subsequently iron deficiencyanemia. J Microbiol Infect Dis 2011; 1(3):114-117